1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to instrument illuminators and more particularly to an illuminator for an ophthalmic examining and photographic recording instrument.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ophthalmological instruments include investigatory tools such as the ophthalmoscope or slit lamp which may be used to view the interior and/or other parts of the eye for detection and identification of vascular system disorders and/or a variety of other anomalies.
The recording of fundus disorders or other eye conditions of interest however has heretofore required the use of photographic equipment possessing little or no utility as an investigatory tool. Lacking is the advantage of being able to simply and efficiently photographically record a condition of interest at any time during routine examination without otherwise interrupting the examination procedure.
Drawbacks of prior art attemps to render examining or recording instruments dual functioning, as in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,189 for example, are ungainliness of equipment, undue complexity of operation and less than optimum efficiency particularly with respect to illuminating areas under examination for photographing points of interest needing subsequent study of original visual findings.
In addition to the aforesaid and other obvious inadequacies inefficiencies and ungainlinesses of devices employing arc lamps and the like, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,189, the more recent use of strobe tubes for high intensity photographic illumination has been hampered by the need for movable mirrors and/or fixed beam splitters to selectively alternately direct low intensity examining the high intensity strobe light along a common instrument axis. Mirrors require exacting alignment when in use and complex sliding or tilting systems for moving them into and away from positions of use. Beam splitters on the other hand, have the well known disadvantage of loosing approximately one half of light intended for transmission or reflection. Light directed upon a beam splitter for transmission becomes partially reflected and vice versa.
In view of the foregoing, it is a principal object of this invention to provide an illuminator of improved, simple and efficient design for use in examining and recording instruments.
Another object is to provide an illuminator for rendering an investigatory instrument adaptable to photographic recording use with minimal cost, incumberance and/or need for alteration of the original form of the instrument.
Still another object of the invention is to provide in simple, compact and efficient fashion, means for incorporating dual light sources in an ophthalmic instrument system which source may be selectively alternately positioned at a light emitting station in the system and energized thereat, one light source supplying short duration high intensity illumination for photographic recording purposes and the other supplying relative low intensity continuous illumination of ophthalmic screening.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.